My friends, who could fail to care about the human consequences of HIV? The most recent data published with our Cosponsors makes for somber reading. Despite tremendous progress with treatment access, we are not there yet. For every person newly on treatment, three more people are newly infected with HIV.The Church’s uncompromising position on the need for social justice—to do what is right— and on the inherent dignity of individuals, inspires us to champion for universal access to comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, care and support as a moral imperative.

BY: Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS DATE: 01 December, 2009 PLACE: Pretoria Showgrounds, Pretoria, South Africa OCCASION: Commemoration of World AIDS Day South Africa’s Reinvigorated AIDS Response

Distinguished jurists, friends and colleagues, I am extremely honoured to be here today. I appreciate the valuable time you have carved out from your demanding schedules to discuss the role of the judiciary in the HIV epidemic. This is a testament to your deep commitment to confronting this major challenge of our time.

I am deeply honored and privileged to join you for this important meeting for three reasons: First, we are witnessing a revolution in practice—a revolution which brings altogether users and ex-users, human rights advocates, public health practitioners and of course those who have the financial resources to make a difference—to address a pressing problem for which there are straight-forward evidence-informed solutions.

Speech by: Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS DATE: 12 January, 2010 PLACE: KICC Amphitheatre Nairobi OCCASION: Launch of Kenya National AIDS Strategic Plan

Good morning. I am truly honored to be with you at this important gathering of minds. This colloquium promises ripe discussion and the generation of inspiring ideas for how we can protect and uplift the family unit and build on its distinctive power to fundamentally transform societies.

Speech delivered by the Executive Director at the Special Meeting of an Extended Technical Committee on the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa in Pretoria, South Africa and presents his vision of a single African Drug Regulatory Agency

AIDS at the Tipping Point: Herculean challenges; Olympian benefits. The Olympic spirit we have seen and felt over the past two weeks is a remarkable social and political phenomenon. It has transformed the host city of Vancouver into a global hub of international solidarity. It has roused countries to showcase their best in competition rather than conflict. It has elevated the rewards of national pride, public accolades and the hope for a better future into international public goods.

In much of the world, the HIV epidemic among drug users is long-standing. But in some places it is newly emerging. In East Africa, HIV transmission due to drug use is rising. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia we are seeing a new upturn in infections in some countries of the region―a new generation of drug injectors is going through the same pattern of HIV spread as the previous generation. We must focus our efforts on stopping this chain of transmission. Above all, that means making it safer for those who are use drugs. This is harm reduction, and it is an effective and important form of HIV prevention and a key component of our pledge for Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

The Pacific regions response to the AIDS epidemic is as uneven as its economic growth and poverty reduction. Limited awareness and understanding of the potential impact of the epidemic, weak health care systems and an unsupportive legal environment have all contributed to varying degrees of response by Governments across the region. The Report of the Commission on AIDS in the Pacific has clearly highlighted the factors inhibiting a strong and determined response to the epidemic. While some of these are known, it is for the first time that all the issues were addressed so comprehensively by the Commission.